The boss fights in Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon are capable of ruining an otherwise stellar experience.

In fact, it has me wondering why the game has boss fights at all. Was it really necessary? Does that capture the essence of the game at all? From what I can tell it does not, as Luigi’s Mansion is about more than just catching ghosts. If anything, it’s about Luigi and his trusty Poltergust 5000.

Yes, friends, the Poltergust 5000, that electrified ectoplasm exorcist machine that sucks just about as much as it blows…air, that is. With it you can interact with nearly any object in your environment, either causing a ruccus or revealing hidden secrets within walls or underneath floor boards. Rattle the dishes, rock the chairs, and pull curtains down from the windows. Rotate wheels and ceiling fans to activate devices or stabilize some pipes. Finally, a game where Luigi gets a chance to do some plumbing.

The greatest joy to be found in Luigi’s Mansion is in the exploration. There are hidden treasures everywhere, constantly rewarding the player for even the mildest hint of curiosity. Earn enough cash and you’ll improve your top-of-the-line Poltergust to be even more top-of-the-liner. You can even become top-of-the-linest! There isn’t a single room with something new to discover.

As a result, catching ghosts, while the primary narrative goal, is also merely another function of the Poltergust 5000. Using the Dark-Light will help reveal hidden objects and, more importantly, the traditional Boo ghost enemy of the Mario series. Using the Strobulb, a form of light bulb, will stun ghosts and allow them to be captured.

Everything in Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is built around the poltergust. Do you need to light an object on fire? Use the poltergust to snag a flammable object, torch it by a flame source, and then lead it onward to the object you need to burn. Is there a switch out of reach? You can suck an object up, aim for the switch, and fire. Or you can flash it with the strobulb or reveal it with the dark-light.

For the most part, this is also how the majority of bosses work in Luigi’s Mansion as well. That is, until you hit the fourth world. The ice world boss, known as the Shrewd Possessor, has become a bit notorious among players of the game. Instead of using the poltergust in any meaningful capacity, the player is then tossed onto a sled that fires bombs like a cannon. A bomb sled, if you will.

This sounds like it could actually be a cool feature, but the fight feels as if it was a haphazard slapped together last-minute creation, where the developers just focused on making sure the mechanics were finished rather than making sure it was enjoyable. Challenging, but not frustrating.

The Shrew Possessor requires such precision aiming and timing of the bomb sled, and only allows a limited number of shots, that it becomes tiresome and irritating. The third and final phase is the most difficult, placing the player in a location where the physics and timing are tough to predict, and I can only imagine they wanted to highlight the 3D features of the 3DS. Yet it fails mechanically, and is enough to make a player stop playing the game.

This means the final world and ending of the game become locked out, despite having some incredible gameplay and time left over. This is inexcusable, and damages an otherwise wonderful game.

Unlike Batman: Arkham Origins, however, this is an easy game to recommend. While Luigi’s Mansion may stumble in the dark at times, more often than not it carries the most wonderful charm and personality of almost any Nintendo game recently released. Despite having characters from across Nintendo’s most popular franchise, Luigi’s Mansion feels unique. There is no other game, not even a Nintendo game, like it, and Luigi will easily become your favorite of their primary mascots. A man of few words, but a lot of expressions, emotions, and even bravery despite his growing cowardice.

So while you’ll occasionally find yourself frustrated by sneaky little ghosts interrupting a masterful catch of a greeny, or you’ll huff and puff until you give up on the fourth world’s boss, you’ll have a great time that you’ll enjoy returning to again and again.

Maybe, eventually, you’ll go back and decide to not rest until that Shrewd Possessor has been defeated. Or, if you’re a smarter player than me, you’ll just replay the old levels in your completed game and try to find all the Boos and treasures you missed the first time through.